Manchester United captain Gary Neville has backed Sir Alex Ferguson's decision not to sign Carlos Tevez on a permanent basis.

Tevez is expected to be the main danger to the Red Devils when the in-form Argentina striker turns out for new club Manchester City in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg encounter at Eastlands.

The South American has scored 11 goals in his last ten games and 15 in all competitions this season after making a controversial move across Manchester last summer.

Tevez claimed he left Old Trafford after two years on loan because United did not fully value him.

However, Neville claims Ferguson was right not to part with the reported £30million fee to sign the former United fans' favourite on a permanent basis.

He said:"The manager over the years has made many decisions with regard to players coming and going and he has almost always been proved correct.

"Over a period of 20 years he may have got one or two wrong and I think he has admitted that himself, but he knows exactly what he's doing and he understands when a player's time is up. I can't disagree with his decision on Tevez.

"He was a good player for us but, if the financial demands are too big, then that's just the way it goes. Other good players have left this club in the past, it's not the first time it's happened.

"We have the best manager in the world at putting teams together. He's done it successfully for 20 years. There have not been many people who have questioned him over the years and been proved right."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email